10-KPeriod: FY2015

Workday, Inc. Annual Report, Year Ended Jan 31, 2015

Filed March 25, 2015For Securities:WDAY

Summary

Workday, Inc.'s 2015 10-K filing reveals a company experiencing significant growth in its cloud-based enterprise applications for finance and human resources. The company demonstrated strong revenue expansion, with total revenues growing 68% year-over-year to $788 million for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2015. This growth was primarily driven by its subscription services, which now account for over 78% of total revenue, indicating a successful shift towards a recurring revenue model. Despite this impressive growth, Workday continues to invest heavily in product development and sales & marketing, resulting in an operating loss of $216 million for the year. The company's focus remains on expanding its customer base, particularly among large global enterprises, and innovating its cloud platform to maintain a competitive edge. Key investor considerations include Workday's rapid revenue growth powered by its subscription model, its substantial investments in future growth, and its continued operating losses. The company's strong emphasis on customer satisfaction, product innovation, and a user-friendly cloud experience are foundational to its strategy. However, investors should also be aware of the competitive landscape, the risks associated with scaling a cloud business, and the significant investments required to sustain its growth trajectory, which are expected to lead to continued losses in the near future. The dual-class stock structure also means that founders maintain significant control over decision-making.

Financial Statements
Beta
Revenue$787.86M
R&D Expenses$316.87M
Operating Expenses$1.00B
Operating Income-$215.70M
Interest Expense$31.06M
Net Income-$247.98M
EPS (Basic)$-1.35
Shares Outstanding (Basic)183.70M

Key Highlights

  • 1Workday reported a 68% increase in total revenues to $788 million for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2015.
  • 2Subscription services revenue grew 73% to $613 million, forming the core of the company's revenue stream (over 78% of total revenue).
  • 3The company continues to invest heavily in product development ($317 million) and sales and marketing ($316 million), reflecting a focus on long-term growth and market expansion.
  • 4Workday operated at a net loss of $248 million for the fiscal year, consistent with its strategy of investing in growth.
  • 5The company ended the fiscal year with a strong liquidity position, holding $1.9 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities.
  • 6Significant risk factors include intense competition from established players like Oracle and SAP, potential security breaches, reliance on third-party data centers, and the challenge of managing rapid growth.
  • 7Founders David Duffield and Aneel Bhusri maintain significant voting control due to a dual-class stock structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Workday provides enterprise cloud applications for finance and human capital management. Its primary revenue stream comes from subscription services fees for access to these cloud applications, with professional services for deployment and optimization as a secondary source.

No, Workday is not profitable. For the fiscal year ended January 31, 2015, the company reported a net loss of $248 million, reflecting its strategy of significant investment in product development and sales and marketing to fuel rapid growth.

Key risks include intense competition from established software vendors like Oracle and SAP, potential data security breaches, reliance on third-party data centers for its cloud operations, the ability to effectively manage its rapid growth and scale operations, and the potential for product development to not meet market acceptance. The company also highlights the dual-class stock structure giving founders significant control, which could limit outside influence.

Workday focuses on revenue growth and expanding its customer base. While operating at a loss, the company ended the fiscal year with substantial cash reserves ($1.9 billion), indicating a healthy liquidity position. It uses metrics like 'core operating expenses' and 'free cash flows' to analyze its financial performance and manage its operations.